


even the leaves turn red

by foreverautumn



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe, Eren lying in a pile of leaves AU, M/M, Neighbors, that's pretty much it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-21
Updated: 2015-11-21
Packaged: 2018-05-02 15:39:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5253758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foreverautumn/pseuds/foreverautumn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Levi had tried to turn his attention to the newspaper, but had given up before long. Now he’s standing with his elbows resting against the sill, gazing at his strange neighbor.</p>
<p>What kind of grown man spends all that time raking leaves, only to lie down in the pile?</p>
            </blockquote>





	even the leaves turn red

Levi can’t believe what he’s seeing.

He’s never really associated with any of his neighbors. He only knows a few names to go with faces, and hasn’t really thought much of it beyond that. But now, looking through his window at the guy who lives across the street - Levi can’t quite recall his name, though he thinks it might begin with a vowel - lying in a pile of leaves, arms spread as he stares at the sky, Levi can’t help his mounting curiosity.

He’d first noticed him lying there about a half an hour ago, but had continued on his way to the kitchen with a shake of his head. Maybe the guy living there had a kid that Levi had never noticed before.

Somehow he’d found his way back here, and it’s definitely guy-with-a-vowel-name lying there, not a kid. Though he’s sure the guy is younger than himself, anyway.

Levi had tried to turn his attention to the newspaper, but had given up before long. Now he’s standing with his elbows resting against the sill, gazing at his strange neighbor.

What kind of grown man spends all that time raking leaves, only to lie down in the pile? Playing around like that is something a child would do. Actually, do kids even do stuff like that anymore? Or do they prefer rolling around in snow? Levi isn’t sure, to be honest.

The guy hasn’t moved at all, arms still spread out just as they’d been the first time Levi had noticed him. The ground can’t be that comfortable, even if the leaves are padding it just a bit.

Levi squints.

It’s impossible to tell if the guy is breathing from here.

It’s a dumb thought, but– what if he’d had a heart attack? What if he’s been lying there like that for almost an hour now, slowly dying, and Levi’s just been staring blankly at him from across the street?

He knows it’s a ridiculous thought; this guy is younger than Levi, surely he hasn’t had a heart attack - but still, he’s pulling on his jacket and sliding on his shoes, slipping out his front door moments later.

The air’s a bit chillier than Levi had anticipated, and he stuffs his hands in his pockets as he makes his way across the street. He means to call something out as he approaches, but he’s still pondering over what the guy’s name could be by the time his shoes crunch against the edge of the pile.

A brief wave of fear washes over Levi when he notices his neighbor’s eyes are closed, but suddenly they’re open. For some reason, he feels even more tongue-tied as those bright eyes land on him.

“Hey,” the guy says, smiling. He makes no move to sit up. A few leaves crinkle as he tilts his head to the side, windswept hair dancing across his forehead. This almost feels like it could be a photo shoot.

Levi has half a mind to turn and make sure there are no cameras on them, but he’s spent so much time staring over here he knows there aren’t. Still, this looks like a perfect scene, and Mr. Vowel is certainly handsome enough–

Wait.

“Levi, right?”

He realizes he’s just been creepily staring down his neighbor for a full minute. And thinking weird thoughts, no less. He should say something.

“I thought you might be dead.”

Ah, way to break the ice.

Levi coughs awkwardly. “I mean, I saw you from the window, and you haven’t moved in awhile, so I…”

The guy breaks out into a wider smile then, eyes crinkling at the corners. “You were worried! See, I always knew you were soft at heart, even though you’re always glaring at everybody.”

“I’m not always glaring,” Levi replies quickly, aware that he is, right now in this moment, glaring.

“It’s okay, I already knew anyway.” The smile turns sly, and for some reason Levi’s stomach flips. “I saw you put food out for that cat before.” He pauses, seemingly for dramatic effect. “More than once.”

Levi barely resists the urge to roll his eyes. Of course he knows it had been more than once; he’s the one who had done it, after all.

“Why are you still down there?” Levi gently nudges the guy’s side with the tip of his shoe. “Get up like a normal human being.”

“I like it here,” comes the defensive response. He does move then, stretching his arms out to the sky, before letting them fall back to the ground. One curls above his head in such a way Levi is almost sure he’s suddenly fallen into a photo shoot again.

This is ridiculous. If this guy really wants to lie here through the night in his pile of leaves, who is Levi to stop him?

Though, he might as well get an answer to another of his questions.

“Hey, what’s your name?” Levi asks it as casually as he can - that is, not at all. He punctuates the question with another nudge from his shoe.

The guy’s face falls a little, but then he laughs. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised you don’t remember. It’s Eren.”

_Eren_ \- he feels like it’d been on the tip of his tongue, but he never would have gotten it. “Ah, right,” he says.

Eren laughs again. “Yes, right. I think I’d know.” Levi kind of wants to push into his side again–

“But I think you’ll remember it, now.”

Eren’s smiling - really, has he always been this attractive? Levi needs to start paying attention more - with leaves in his hair and cheeks rosy from the cold. Levi’s heartbeat picks up a little.

“I’m heading back,” he says abruptly.

Eren blinks, maybe looks a bit disappointed? But Levi doesn’t think about it, turning briskly to head back across the street. This has all been too weird for him to–

“Wait, Levi!”

Levi freezes.

What could Eren possibly have to say? Nothing important, probably - Levi’s sure that he hadn’t looked anywhere near as attractive as Eren had, though really, who the hell looks attractive lying on the ground in a pile of crusty old leaves–

Before he can overthink it, Levi turns, making his way back over to Eren. His heart is lodged in his throat.

“Yeah?” he manages.

Eren smiles again, though this time, it looks a little… sheepish?

“Could you maybe, um… call an ambulance?”

Levi stares blankly. “What?”

Eren finally moves to sit up then, wincing when one of his legs shifts. “I thought maybe I just twisted it, but I think I may have broke someth–”

Levi lurches forward, grabbing Eren by the shoulders to keep him from moving further. “Idiot! Why the hell didn’t you say anything!”

Eren gazes up at him, biting his lip. “Uh… I guess… maybe I was hoping you’d lie down next to me.”

Levi’s fingers dig in harder, making Eren wince again. “What?”

“I just– thought it’d be nice? Romantic, or– well no, not romantic, that’s a bad choice of words.” He shakes his head wildly, cheeks turning red. “Poetic, or something. Um– sorry, maybe I hit my head on the ground actually–”

“Eren.” Levi squeezes again with as much strength as he can muster. It’s partly to get Eren to stop rambling, and partly to keep himself standing. “Shut up.”

Somehow Levi manages to untangle himself from Eren and rush back to his house for his cell phone. He calls for an ambulance, cursing probably more than is totally necessary at the poor operator on the phone, then makes his way back across the street. Eren is sitting in just the same position as Levi had left him.

“They’re on their way,” he says, breathing heavily. It shouldn’t feel like he’s run a mile, but it does.

“Thanks,” Eren murmurs, not quite meeting his eye. His cheeks are still a bit redder than normal.

Levi stares at the ground for awhile, considering his options. All of them are bad, but one of them has a teeny, tiny bit of an upside. Maybe.

With a sigh, Levi moves to sit down beside Eren, careful not to jostle him in any way. It’s cold and the leaves are crunching obnoxiously beneath his ass, but Eren has turned to him with such a stupid, pleased look of wonder plastered on his face that lets Levi know this had been the right decision.

By the time the ambulance arrives, he and Eren’s fingers had maybe almost been pressed up against one another. Levi is glad the technicians are here in case he ends up going into cardiac arrest.

Luckily, he doesn’t. He does, however, end up sitting on the ground like an idiot long after the ambulance pulls away.

–-

Levi spends more time than ever staring out his window now. When he finally sees Eren returning home with a pair of crutches, a girl with short black hair helping to guide him inside, Levi lets out a sigh of relief.

He makes it about ten minutes before he barrels his way across the street, banging on the door.

The girl answers, looking Levi over briefly before speaking. “May I help you?”

“Eren,” he says, sounding like a starved man. He pauses, attempting to control himself. “Just– checking in. To see if he’s okay.”

“Oh.” She hesitates. “Wait here.”

Levi has no other choice, as she’s just closed the door in his face.

When it reopens, it’s not only the girl standing there, but Eren too. He’s clearly a little wobbly on his crutches, but he smiles so warmly at the sight of him that Levi’s first reaction is to reach out and pull the door closed again. Fortunately he resists the urge.

“Well, I have to get going anyway,” the girl says. “Your uh, neighbor here can help you out if you need anything, I guess.” She turns back to Eren. “But call me if anything comes up, okay?”

Eren nods, reaching out awkwardly to pat her shoulder. “Of course. Thanks, Mikasa.”

A half hour later, Levi finds himself sitting at Eren’s kitchen table, sharing some tea. They’ve both been avoiding each other’s eyes, not saying much. He’s unsure if things could get any more awkward, but–

One of Eren’s crutches, which he’d had standing up against the side of the table, slides forward suddenly and knocks Levi’s cup into his lap.

Thank god it’s not steaming hot, though it’s still unpleasant - nowhere near as unpleasant as Eren’s stream of apologies, the incessant babble causing Levi to finally rise from his seat, slamming his hands on the table.

“Eren! Shut up.” Eren’s mouth snaps shut, eyes wide. “If you’re going to apologize for something, at least let it be for making me feel so guilty all this time.”

“Wha–” Eren shakes his head. “No, Levi, you’ve done more than–”

Levi slams his hands again, nostrils flaring. “I’m going to make it up to you.”

“There’s nothing to make up for,” Eren insists.

“Prepare yourself.”

Eren gulps. “Um… okay?” He grips at his cup nervously.

Good.

“Now just sit there and drink your tea,” Levi commands. Eren takes a sip obediently.

It’s quiet as Levi carefully cleans up the spill and rights Eren’s crutches again. He's done the best he can with the stain on his pants, but he'll just have to change when he gets home. 

The tension eases somewhat when Levi sits back down across from Eren with a fresh cup of tea.

Eren offers him a small smile. “Really, I’m thankful if anything.” He pauses, as if gauging if Levi is about to shout again. “I may have been lying there all night if you didn’t come check on me. So… thank you.”

Levi’s heart stumbles in his chest. He’s undeserving of such an earnest look, such honest words.

“You’re insane,” he says.

Eren rests his cheek in his hand. “And yet you’re still here.”

Levi doesn’t have a good comeback for that, so he settles for sipping his tea.

–-

Levi spends the next few weeks checking up on Eren, unable to put to the rest the strange sense of responsibility he feels. How could he have just looked at Eren lying there for so long and done nothing? Worst of all, how come Eren doesn’t blame him? How can he be so good-natured?

If anything, he seems happy to have Levi around. It doesn’t feel like Levi is working off some kind of debt, rather that Eren is genuinely thankful for his help. And the more time that goes by, it starts feeling less like an obligation, and more like something to look forward to.

The time he spends at Eren’s goes from slightly stiff and awkward to something much nicer, and more comfortable. Levi isn’t too pleased with this development, mostly because the memories of Eren’s hand pressed against his and the stupidity of his blurted words to Levi that night - _romantic_ \- are running rampant in his brain.

Levi’s not falling for his stupid neighbor, except for all the ways that he is, from the brightness in Eren's smile, in his eyes, that makes Levi's heart squeeze in his chest. The way he tilts his head fondly as he watches Levi, when he thinks he doesn’t notice. But it’s not in Levi’s nature to make moves on injured people, especially not ones who are relying on him for assistance.

Though, Eren is definitely doing better. He’s much more used to his crutches and can get around the house quite well. In fact, these days they spend more time talking than anything else.

The neighbors have started greeting Levi more now that they see him heading over to Eren’s all of the time. It isn’t so bad, though he still forgets most of their names.

But Eren had been right, he hasn’t forgotten his. Eren laughs when Levi reminds him of this.

“Like you could ever forget me,” he says, puffing his chest out. He’s currently standing beside Levi at the counter, refusing to sit down despite Levi’s repeated demands. Levi rolls his eyes as he places a stack of plates in Eren’s cupboard.

“You’re very full of yourself.”

Eren laughs. “I only speak the truth. And hey, it’s okay, because I couldn’t forget you either.”

Levi freezes, another stack of plates half raised in the air. His face feels incredibly warm all of a sudden.

He moves to lift the plates again, only this time there’s a warmth across his back. “Here, let me.” Eren wraps a hand around the plates, easily maneuvering them onto the shelf. Levi’s glad for Eren’s steady hold, because Levi damn near almost dropped them.

Eren pulls back wordlessly, going back to leaning against the counter. He drums his fingers for a few moments. Levi turns to him incredulously.

“Well, I think you’ve got the rest, so–”

Levi reaches out, grabbing at one of Eren’s crutches as he moves to walk away. Eren halts abruptly.

“Listen, you piece of shit, if you’re going to make a move, then make a goddamn move.”

Levi’s heart feels like it’s about to explode out of his chest, but somehow he manages to muster enough strength to nudge Eren’s crutch forward. Eren gazes down at it pressing against him.

"Or what, is this not romantic enough for you?" Levi's voice rises in challenge. It might mask a bit of fear, too, fear that Levi's totally misread everything.

But now Eren's looking at him properly, finally, a crease between his brow.

"Maybe it's hard to tell if someone wants to be with you, or if they're only doing it because they feel bad," he says carefully, still looking at Levi.

"Seriously?" Levi closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. He then pierces Eren with the best glare he can muster. "You're still going with that, even now? How about this, then?" Levi tightens his hold on the crutch, tapping at Eren's chest with every other word. "If you don't _do something_ , I'm going to break every damn bone in your body."

Before Levi can process exactly what's happened, Eren's hand has shot out to the counter beside Levi, body pressed forward, boxing him in. The loud clatter of the crutch falling to the floor echoes in Levi's ears, along with his own heartbeat.

Eren's eyes are fiery and bright. "Am I being clear enough now?" he asks quietly.

Levi lets out a short puff of air. "No," he says, only because he wants to see what Eren will do next. It would be easy to clumsily tug him down, but--

Eren leans forward, their faces tantalizingly close together now. "Levi..."

He's unable to wait any longer, reaching out a hand, digging his fingers into Eren's arm. It's firm and warm, and Eren's eyelashes are fluttering - so handsome, really, it isn't fair - as Levi tilts upward, pressing their lips together.

It feels like something's burst inside, something like _finally_ and _yes_ and _Eren_. Levi brings a hand to curl against Eren's neck, the other still on his arm. Eren makes a soft sound, mouth pressed firmer to Levi's. Each touch burns in the best of ways, fire dancing across his lips, head growing light. He could melt into the counter-top at this rate and be perfectly content.

When Eren pulls back, Levi can feel his arm wobbling a little. His face is flushed, lips a little red, too.

Levi smiles. "Your face is really red, you know."

Eren attempts to glare, but it holds no heat. Probably because all of it has traveled to his face. 

"Can you just-- shut up, let me enjoy this." He leans forward, gently resting his forehead against Levi's. "I've been waiting a long time, okay."

Levi closes his eyes. "I probably would have let you kiss me in the leaves that day."

There's a long pause.

He can feel Eren shift his arm, and the other crutch ends up hitting the floor.

"Goddammit," he says. It sounds far more forlorn than is warranted in regards to the fallen crutch.

Well, it's not like Levi can't make this up to him, too.

\--

By the time Eren's properly healed, and he and Levi are lying in the leaves together - well, Levi's more draped over Eren than anything - he's pretty sure they're more than even. Still, as he runs his fingers through Eren's hair and presses gentle kisses across his cheek, finally reaching his smiling mouth, Levi finds he wouldn't mind making it up to Eren for awhile longer.

**Author's Note:**

> Just another random pointless little fic... thank you for taking the time to read it. ♥


End file.
